Performance Implications of Managing Corporate Programs

Corporate programs are regularly employed by large corporations as
the main vehicles for the creation of value. Six Sigma at GE, top+
and Fit4 2010 at Siemens, or 55+ at Allianz are a few of the more
widely-publicized examples of such initiatives. In management
literature, the phenomenon of strategic initiatives continues to
draw attention from management scholars. Recognized as the main
building blocks of research on strategic renewal and corporate
entrepreneurship, strategic initiatives have been show to
significantly enhance competitive advantage.

This research project explores the performance consequences of
corporate program management and steering. Employing a behavioral
perspective within a qualitative research framework, the project
aims to identify the mechanisms through which corporate programs
affect performance, and then assess whether and how corporate
programs legitimate corporate centers through the generation of a
corporate surplus.